Man Shot Dead On Far N.w. Side

Police Suspect Drug Connection

October 02, 1985|By Jean Davidson.

An unidentified man carrying white powder rolled up in a $20 bill, was found shot to death early Tuesday in the far Northwest Side Edgebrook neighborhood, after making a futile brief dash to elude his killer.

The victim, described as an Hispanic male in his 20s, was found slumped over a bush in the yard at 6210 N. Legett Ave. by a resident of that address when he left for work.

The man had been shot once in the right side of the head and once in the abdomen, according to Jefferson Park Police District Commander Paul Jankowski, and was clutching an orange plastic key chain labled ``Nautica`` in his right hand.

Jankowski said a key on the chain fit a royal blue Lincoln Continental parked on the street in front of 6200 Legett.

Police unlocked the car`s trunk, and found a leather satchel containing Spanish language documents from Muisne, Ecuador, a photocopy of an aerial map, a leather weapon holster, a fur coat, a portable stereo and leaflets advertising a North Side Ecuadoran festival.

Jankowski said the powdery substance found rolled in a $20 bill in the man`s pocket, and the aerial map in the car, led authorities to suspect the shooting was drug related.

He said the license plates on the Lincoln, which was equipped with a mobile telephone, checked out to a North Sawyer Avenue resident. However, a brother of the car`s owner viewed the body and said he did not recognize the victim.

Police said the car had not been reported stolen.

Jankowski said the man apparently ran from the Lincoln, around the rear of the house at 6200 N. Legett, north through two back yards where he trampled flowers and vegetable gardens, and through a six-foot hedge in an effort to elude pursuers.

He was cornered when he came up against a locked gate at the side of the house at 6210 N. Legett, which he managed to knock down just before being shot.

Residents of the area reported hearing at least four shots at around 11:30 p.m. Monday and called police at the time.

Police dug one bullet out of the front door of a home at 6215 Legett, across the street from where the body was found. They said they checked the area with their spotlights, but did not notice the body sprawled face down in a hedge on the other side of the street.

A neighbor who called police said, ``I thought at first it was firecrackers. Then I thought maybe it was kids popping a BB gun. I heard a loud male voice, not frightened or upset, just loud. And then shots in quick succession.``

Mrs. Florence Hilbert, who lives in the home struck by the wild shot, said she did not know her home had been hit until told about it Tuesday morning. ``At first I was very frightened. I was wondering who this was meant for. Now it makes sense,`` she said, after the body was found.

Another bullet was found at the rear of the home at 6210 Legett.

Police Lt. William Moran said, ``It looks like he was chased through two yards, and when he hit the gate he must have slowed down long enough for whoever was chasing the guy to catch him.``